Tool Nerd Pr0n thread

[masraum]

I know that we've got a bunch of tool nerds out there.

And some of you guys have been around since we knocked 2 rocks together to make fire or hit a critter with a rock to catch dinner.

What awesome, weird, cool tools do you have?

I picked up a few tools in the last couple of weeks just because...

I bought a "Ford" T-1917 wrench which was for Model Ts and/or possibly Ford tractors. Wow, this thing is crazy. It's got 2 different sized ends, sort of. The flats aren't remotely parallel, and the "meat" on the 2 prongs varies a lot. The back has each end labeled, and the labels are "1" and "2". I think the wrench would roughly fit a ⅝" (or maybe 11/16") and ¾". But the larger sized end measurements at the base of the flats is 0.71" and at the top of the flats is 0.776". The smaller end is 0.67" at the base and 0.753". It was made by Moore Drop Forging Co out of Springfield, MA.

The Rolls Royce is stamped "BSF" which stands for "British Standard Fine" which means it was a fine threaded bolt (really, the thread pitch needs to be part of the size?). It's similar/related to Whitworth in that the sizes are for the bolt sizes, not the head sizes. I don't know if the normal/coarse threaded Whitworth stuff had different sized heads that the fine threaded stuff or not. The edges and corners where it's machined are nice and sharp. It's got the feel of a quality tool.



Then, because I'm an OLD tool nerd and a math nerd, I bought a boxwood and brass rule that has an integrated Coggeshall slide rule which was designed to calculate the volume of timber.
This rule was made by John Rabone & Sons. This model (2423) of rule is in their 1878 catalog that is available online which lists the cost as $30/dozen. I'm sure they made this model for many years, but they'd stopped by the 1930s because there's another catalog available that doesn't include any with the fancy joints. By then they'd switched to just "round", "square", and "arched" like Stanley, etc.... I suspect they didn't continue making the "vulcan joint" (curvy brass hinge) for long due to cost and ease of manufacture. The slide is stamped on both sides. The back is stamped so it could be extended and used to measure something longer than a foot, but that you couldn't fit the rule into unfolded. I think the "J19J" stamp on the back of the slide and inside the slide groove on the body is either to tie this particular slide to this particular body back when they were hand made and fitted or if they were made by machine, maybe just to make sure that the correct model of slide was put into the correct model of body if they were machine made.






And then another couple of items that I bought are some 9/32" drive tools. Yes, 9/32" drive, not just loose 1/4" drive. A bunch of tool manufacturers made 9/32" square drive tools. I found the following on a website about the Snap-On version.

"The Midget drive is a mystery to most people. This size of the square is 9/32 and looks like looks like the modern day ¼ inch drive but is not interchangeable. Plomb also made a 9/32 inch drive set as others did.
Snap on started the 9/32 in the early 1920, and was dropped from the mechanics catalogs by 1945. The industrial catalogs continued the “P series” through the 1960s. These are the same tools relabeled with a P, so an M-5 is pre 1945 and a PM-5 is post 1945."

I got a PL∇MB ratchet for $5. So then I had to pick up a cheap, partial Snap-On kit to have some stuff to go with the ratchet. There are some pretty complete kits available in the $130-250 range. I don't want or need these that badly, LOL. I may pick up a couple more 9/32" items so these are more functional. I've seen a 9/32" to 1/4" adapter and a short extension, and several more sockets available.

[pwd72s]

smattering of USA and Japanese stuff, bought at the local NAPA. New Britian made some good tools back in the 70's..

[masraum]

Originally Posted by pwd72s

I've got a few of my dad's old tools...but nothing like your stuff. Some plomb, old snap on. etc. Very little since we had a kid we gave a job to...took us too long to catch on. He robbed the tools...I'm sure he sold 'em for drug money.

That sucks, and is, unfortunately, an all too common story.

[fanaudical]

I'm a sucker for old tools. I'm convinced a lot of the old tools are better than most of what you can buy new today.

I have some of my grandfather's and father's tools. Lots of old Proto, S&K, Craftsman, Snap-On, and some ratchets that I can't identify because the handles are so worn. I'll see about getting pics up eventually.

[vash]

I’ll play tomorrow.

[LWJ]

My garage looks like the tool section of an antique store. Nothing cool like Steve's stuff. Just lots of old, quality, American tools. I use them. They work. Also have a bit of a Stanley plane problem...

[GH85Carrera]

I have this old Ford logo wrench. I found it in the bottom of grandpa's tool chest. I have long wondered what it's origin story was. I just guessed it was something that came with a new Ford. However, there was a Model T assembly plant here in Oklahoma City. Maybe it came from there. I just don't know.

[cabmandone]

I'll have to remember, the next time I'm at my BIL's house to take a picture of his tool rooms. Yeah I said rooms. His garage, the second floor in his house and his basement. If ya wanna see Ford logo wrenches, yeah he has a bunch.

[vash]

Mines not vintage or granddaddy-ish. No heirloom history.

Just mine. A hammer. I bought it the week I started my career. We did a bridge next to a hardware store, and I needed gloves. Guy gave me a deep discount. I bought 3 of them. Gave two of them to new coworkers I befriended on day one. Dumb money, but these two guys noticed right away I wasn’t local, and took me around San Francisco showing me hole in the wall Chinese food places. They never teased me when I butchered my parent language. Corrected me.

We are still lifelong friends. We all still have our hammers. I used mine at work for years until the third time I had to get it back from a carpenter that really didn’t want to relinquish it back to me. I needed it to hammer in survey markers on bridges. Now? It’s discontinued so I don’t get it out. A handyman tried to steal it.

[Seahawk]

What is the brand?

That would be a great gift for my son.

[vash]

Originally Posted by Seahawk

What is the brand?

That would be a great gift for my son.

its a Douglas. my understanding is someone bought the rights and is making them again. the OG ones are rare now.

and you are an awesome parent!!

my mom: "what did you buy that dumb hammer for? and you barely know them"

hahhah...(i made that up, but yea)

[1990C4S]

For tool nerds the Henry Ford Museum is a must see.

The adjustable wrench exhibit is fascinating. To me anyhow, my wife was less impressed...

[masraum]

Originally Posted by fanaudical

I'm a sucker for old tools. I'm convinced a lot of the old tools are better than most of what you can buy new today.

I have some of my grandfather's and father's tools. Lots of old Proto, S&K, Craftsman, Snap-On, and some ratchets that I can't identify because the handles are so worn. I'll see about getting pics up eventually.

Yep, I've got my dad's old tools too. He was a gear head when he was younger. I've got some of my grandfather's old wood working stuff, but not much.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

I have this old Ford logo wrench. I found it in the bottom of grandpa's tool chest. I have long wondered what it's origin story was. I just guessed it was something that came with a new Ford. However, there was a Model T assembly plant here in Oklahoma City. Maybe it came from there. I just don't know.

Very cool!

[masraum]

Originally Posted by vash

Mines not vintage or granddaddy-ish. No heirloom history.

Just mine. A hammer. I bought it the week I started my career. We did a bridge next to a hardware store, and I needed gloves. Guy gave me a deep discount. I bought 3 of them. Gave two of them to new coworkers I befriended on day one. Dumb money, but these two guys noticed right away I wasn’t local, and took me around San Francisco showing me hole in the wall Chinese food places. They never teased me when I butchered my parent language. Corrected me.

We are still lifelong friends. We all still have our hammers. I used mine at work for years until the third time I had to get it back from a carpenter that really didn’t want to relinquish it back to me. I needed it to hammer in survey markers on bridges. Now? It’s discontinued so I don’t get it out. A handyman tried to steal it.

Very cool story, and cool hammer! I'll keep an eye out for one like that. Lots of old hammers get sold on the tool group that I'm on, but mostly the normal sort.

vaguely related subject
https://physics.mit.edu/news/the-man-who-reinvented-the-hammer/

[vash]

Here. Maybe this helps w the search.

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by vash

Here. Maybe this helps w the search.

I found the hammer, new and used...amazing. What helped was FR20S.

We (by that I mean he) has a lot of wood in his future

His birthday is in a few weeks, so this was spot on. I'll get some pictures of my semi-cool tools later

[unclebilly]

I have a bunch of tools from my grandfathers… one was a millwright, the other was a German machinist, millwright, and mechanic that owned his own service station in the 50s and 60s.

When I reach into my grandpa’s toolbox looking for some oddball tool it’s amazing how my hand often graviton the exact tool I need.

On the tool pron side of things, this is something I got recently and it actually incredibly useful.

Cordless soldering iron.

[Baz]

[masraum]

Originally Posted by vash

Here. Maybe this helps w the search.

That's awesome, thanks for the extra pics!